Surface
by chinarai
Summary: There is more to Fi than meets the eye.
1. i: Beginnings

Hey hey!

Yesterday, I had the urge to start a new collection of fics to depict how I see Link and Fi's friendship progressed, so here it is. For someone who used to roleplay as SS Link, I had troubles to try and think like him in this, I'm a disgrace haha

I don't remember 100% of the details of the game, but know that I'll look up on videos on YT if I ever need one specific line of dialogue. Mainly, this story focuses on Link and Fi in between one key event and the other. Also don't expect it to have chapters as long as _Antumbra_; they'll vary in length and I'll go with the flow.

Anyway, first chap, I already know how to write the last, I have no idea how to write the middle um. Um.

Enjoy and tell me what you think!

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><p><strong>i: Beginnings<strong>

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><p>When his childhood friend was taken by a black tornado, Link felt guilt swelling up inside. The idea that some people might glance his way and shake their heads as if he had pushed Zelda into the violent airs did not make it better, but the headmaster of the academy seemed to know it was not his fault, and so the youth felt a little more at ease.<p>

After waking up to try and explain to her father what had transpired, he heard again the voice of the blue spirit, the same one he had dreamed of on the earlier hours of the past day. Feeling spent and emotionally tired, he did his best to shake off the drowsiness and grief and chased it through Skyloft as it took the longest route to the Goddess Statue. Fi, the name the sprit introduced herself as, told him that he was, in fact, Hylia's chosen hero. It sounded ridiculous to his ears, but her confession that Zelda was alive somewhere down below prompted him to draw the blade and forget the hero issue momentarily, uncaring of how much that simple act would change his life.

Barely keeping his eyes open after meeting with Gaepora once more and ocreating a way towards what awaited him under the clouds, Link was allowed to return to his bedroom and sleep.

In the morning, now dressed in his new knight's uniform of a pretty shade of green and armed with a cheap shield and a new sword, he avoided everyone as he made way to the nearest platform and jumped, called for his bird and flew away towards the opening, Fi inside the weapon strapped to his back. Link stopped at a small floating island to think, to ponder, for he had not the time to do that just yet. To think he was a hero was unbelievable; he would have laughed if he were not so tense and sick with worry. A simple tablet opened a hole in the cloud barrier; he wondered if other people could see it too and if they would try to jump, although he doubted it would happen.

And then, he realized, how would he stop his fall? How would he return to the sky? His loftwing probably could not fly through the opening; it was too risky to force him to go down there with him.

What was waiting for him, there under the thick layer of clouds?

Link swallowed at the sudden queasy feeling that washed over him. To his side, his bird ruffled its feathers with its beak, oblivious to the truth that hit its owner harder than Groose's fist. Once he found Zelda, they could work out a way to return to Skyloft – if he found her. He had no idea where she landed and though it seemed unlikely that she survived the fall, Fi said so, and so he believed it. He just hoped she was safe, crossed his fingers that she ran into someone who could aid her. Zelda was not helpless, Link knew that, but he could only imagine how scared and lost she felt in a foreign place.

A sound rang in his ears; he could only describe it as someone unsheathing a sword. "What ails you, Master Link?"

Master. He was now a master. Before, the only title he was ever given was mister, and even then it was not a serious one. Zelda usually referred to him that way when he overslept and not even her loftwing could wake him up. Link was not sure if the blue creature called him that way out of politeness or because she truly saw him as her superior, but it made him uncomfortable nonetheless. He was not better than anyone, he was just a boy who happened to be... Her Grace's chosen hero apparently. It was hard to believe.

He could imagine Fi there behind him, but could not feel her presence. "Nothing, Fi. I'm just thinking." He wished he could go back to the academy, lie down on his bed and wake up to find it was just a bad dream, like the one he had the night before the Wing Ceremony. She was seen in that same dream, however Fi was here, so close, and the youth had pinched himself many times in the morning before leaving to know that it was really happening.

Standing in a little island far from Skyloft would to nothing to help any of them, though. Link inhaled deeply, seeking that same feeling of bravery he felt when he entered that dark cave to save his loftwing.

"Master Link."

He exhaled trough his mouth, an attempt to calm his nerves. "Yes, Fi?"

"There is a 98% of chance that your sailcloth will stop the fall."

A thick eyebrow quirked. "Thank you, Fi. I'll keep that in mind."

As she disappeared to wait inside the sword, Link climbed on his bird and got it into flight, soaring closer and closer to the opening. He felt a knot in his throat.

'That 2% better not happen.'

Once the loftwing was aligned with the hole, the boy glanced down and took another deep breath. It was time.

'Don't think. Just...'

Now he only needed to–

'Go.'

Jump.


	2. ii: Grounds

Hello!

Finally the second chapter! I apologize it took so long, but now that I decided to replay the game, I should write more! I'll try to update this with Antumbra evey two weeks!

This will have many chapters, but they'll be fairly short.

Enjoy!

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><p><strong>ii: Grounds<strong>

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><p>The winds were harsh as he fell, it hurt to keep his eyes open, but Link fought the urge to close them for he needed to see when and where he would land. He risked a glance up, his was loftwing nowhere in sight, and the clouds were finally starting to thin out after what felt like a whole minute. With Zelda's sailcloth already in his arms, he faced down again and waited for the right moment to open it, just wondering how the hell his hat did not fly away yet.<p>

The horizontal position of his body helped break the fall, but he would need to stand upright in order to open the sailcloth, and already he could see green approaching from underneath, very fast. Link tried to lean back as much as he could and unfolded the fabric, keeping two ends in each hand in a firm grip so they would not escape, and jerked up as it slowed the fall. Once the boy realized it had worked, he let out a sigh of relief; Fi was truly right. Link looked downwards at his destination and held his breath as thick canopy entered his line of sight, but he was lucky enough to avoid all the branches and end up on what seemed to be a big clearing.

The landing was awkward. He lost his footing and stumbled sideways, hitting his left shoulder on the old fence that stopped him from falling into the pit below. In a second, Fi was before him, providing him with the information he needed while he stood with a wince and rubbed the tender spot. This was known as the Surface and where he stood now was just a part of it, the Sealed Grounds. There were trees on an upper level and broken pillars just where he landed, a bird statue similar to one he had seen in Skyloft; the next time, he should try to land closer to it to avoid more injuries.

Squaring his (sore) shoulders and heading down the path, he stepped back when a blue plant popped out of the ground and advanced, its mouth open and pointed sharp teeth ready to take a bite. "Woah!" The plant reached for him, missing his body by an inch, and retuned to its place, saliva dripping from the cavity. "What's this!?"

Fi decided it was time to show herself again, and so leapt out from his only weapon. "Deku Baba."

"What!?"

"This violent plant is widespread in wooded areas. It will attempt to bite anything that approaches it."

Link snorted. "Yeah, I've noticed!"

"Though it is covered in a tough out husk, the inside of its mouth is soft." The Hylian frowned; she was standing just beside the creature and it was not attempting to bite her at all. "I have confirmed the existence of two varieties: those that open their mouths vertically and those that open them horizontally."

Having said all she knew, the sword spirit returned to her resting place, leaving Link with the newly acquired information and a now very confused expression adorning his face. Aside from speaking so eloquently, Fi sounded like a walking – or rather, floating – encyclopedia. Professor Owlan would enjoy having her as companion, one could only imagine all the things she knew regarding the... Surface. Unsheathing his sword and holding it in his right hand, he wondered for a brief moment if she would feel anything as he tried to get rid of this Deku Baba before working out a way to slay it effortlessly: stun it with his shield and slash; then, the boy quickly took care of the other three that blocked the way.

With the path now clear, the Skyloftian went onwards, hopping to a lower level and coming face to face with a huge, but deteriorated, building and... Small birds. "They're so tiny," he commented to no one in particular, not really expecting an answer from his new acquaintance.

Link turned his back to the construction upon being informed that it was blocked with a seal, and examined the spiraling path that lead to a grassless spot below. From where he stood, he could easily see black patterns drawn on the ground and, oddly enough, they seemed somewhat familiar. The curious thing was that he could feel a dark aura emanating from said markings, so strong and so evil the boy unconsciously shielded himself from it as images of his nightmares flooded his mind.

It was then that the ominous scaly black creature emerged from within the circle, with three rows of teeth and a size so massive it left the boy at what a loss of what to do. Feeling his head hurt, so incredibly painful that he had to clutch it, Link watched as the monster rose above him, and though he reacted rather quickly reaching for his sword, nothing could be done as its mouth descended upon the youth, so he simply shielded his body again.

He felt nothing for the seconds that followed and so lowered his arms, seeing that he was safe and whole, standing just before the building, still he checked his limbs just to be safe. Approaching the edge to glimpse down at the center, he decided to inspect the patterns further in hopes they would help lead him somewhere. It was also the perfect opportunity to practice his landings, jumping from level to level with the sailcloth instead of following the path all the way down.

A carved stone was stuck in the middle of the circle, dark shadows wafting from where it met with the soil, and seemingly humming. He approached it slowly, with care, a soft frown on his brow and a shiver running through his body.

"...Young one..." The youth halted, and then looked about him, searching for the source of the mysterious, whispery voice. "Child of destiny descended from the sky..."

Link looked at the pillar and fisted his hands, knuckles turning white under the leather of his gloves, fingers tingling with a weird sensation.

"Raise the sword of the Goddess skyward..."

He did as told, slowly, lifting his arm and pointing the tip of his weapon to the heavens, feeling it charging with pure energy and light.

"Take aim at the evil aura and unleash its power..."

He swung his arm down.


End file.
